Johnny Carson Leaves a Legacy of Charity

The late Johnny Carson has proved to be one of the most generous men in Hollywood:

In an unprecedented act of celebrity philanthropy, the charitable foundation created by Johnny Carson has reported receiving $156 million from a personal trust established by the entertainer years prior to his January 2005 death, The Smoking Gun has learned.

The nine-figure transfer from the late entertainer’s estate was disclosed in a tax return filed three months ago by the John W. Carson Foundation, records show. The massive bequest leaves the Carson foundation with assets dwarfing the largest Hollywood charities--even the foundation run by entertainment titan David Geffen, whose organization listed assets of $80 million on its most recent tax return.

In a tax return received by the Internal Revenue Service in mid-May, the Carson foundation disclosed its receipt of $35.2 million in cash and $121.2 million in securities and royalty rights from the John W. Carson Trust. The IRS return, excerpted at left, covers the fiscal year ending last June.

I guess the Midwestern values he learned growing up in Nebraska stayed with him throughout his life.